This soup offers up a lot of flexibility, ingredient-wise. Since buttercup squash might not be readily available at your local store or farmer’s market, it can be swapped out for butternut squash or even pumpkin.

If you haven’t jumped on the coconut oil train yet: 1. What are waiting for? and 2. Extra virgin olive oil or butter can be used in lieu of it. Finally, your broth can be either chicken or vegetable. Obviously, if you’re going for a vegetarian soup, choose the latter. I used both because of what I had on hand: remaining chicken broth from a previous recipe, and a mind-blowing vegetable broth fresh off the stove that was made from vegetable scraps (carrot and sweet potato peelings, garlic and onion ends, herb stems, celery stalks, asparagus pieces, and bell pepper ribs) that would have otherwise been composted. It was a fantastic idea I stumbled upon from the kitchn. And because this girl hates to waste, I roasted up the seeds Sweet ‘N Salty Pumpkin-style, and used them to garnish the soup. So green, it’s scary. Oh, and it’s gluten-free. Hi-Yooo!

PREP

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler, scoop out seeds, reserve, and cut into one-inch chunks.

Toss the squash with the chopped onion and apple, salt, pepper, and two tablespoons of coconut oil (reserve the remaining ). Bake for about 30 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

Heat remaining two tablespoons of coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add celery and thyme; cook until celery is just tender. Add broth and the roasted vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are very tender. Add salt and pepper as needed for taste.

Carefully blend in small batches using food processor or blender (upright or immersion). Serve hot topped with roasted seeds and a dash of shredded Parmesan cheese.